MONTEVALLO, Alabama -- Concerned parents levied questions
and criticism at Shelby County School District officials tonight over ongoing
worries about the safety of Montevallo Elementary School due to mold, asbestos
and other health issues.

"I believe it's clean but I don't believe it's safe -- as
safe as you're all wanting to put out -- because if it is, bring your own kids
to the school," Preston Bell said, stirring many in the crowd of more than 150
gathered in the institution's cafeteria to applaud.

Karry Honeycutt, wearing a doctor's mask over his mouth because he is ill and he worries about health issues in the building, listens to the discussion at the Montevallo Elementary School meeting about mold and asbestos concerns on Monday night, Dec. 10, 2012. (Martin J. Reed / mreed@al.com)

During the meeting with some parents elevating their
voices at the education officials, school district superintendent Randy Fuller
maintained the building is safe for students based on air quality test results
and work to clean and correct mold issues in the facility.

"We would not dare put your children in harm's way,"
Fuller said.

Bill Young, president of Pelham-based ERG Environmental
that conducted air testing in the building, stood by the facility's safety. In
response to a question about allowing his own children to attend class in the
building, he said, "My answer was absolutely."

"Mold is everywhere," he said. "It's in our hospital and
nursing home, and it's in our school."

Despite the assurances provided, many in the crowd
remained skeptical about the safety claims.

Kenneth Dukes, whose 6-year-old daughter is a first-grader,
asked for a guarantee that his child in five or 10 years will not become ill
from attending class at the school. "Can we be assured of that as a parent?" he
asked.

"I promise all of you, you have higher mold in your
houses" than in the school, Young said.

A focal point at the meeting was children's health concerns
identified by parents, dozens of whom are keeping their children out of the
school.

Beth Boyd said nosebleeds had started in her 5-year-old
son in kindergarten and 7-year-old daughter in second grade in late August or
early September after attending the school.

"And neither one of them has ever had a nosebleed in
their entire life," Boyd said. "I kept them (out of school) all last week and
she has not been picking at her nose as much and he hasn't been sniffling as
much."

More than 150 people gather inside the Montevallo Elementary School cafeteria on Monday night, Dec. 10, 2012, to voice concerns and complaints, as well as listen, to Shelby County School District representatives talk about the facility's safety. (Martin J. Reed / mreed@al.com)

Sitting next to Preston Bell, Kimberly Bell said her
daughter has been diagnosed with bronchospasms "that she will have for the rest
of her life." The mother believes the school's mold and asbestos has caused the
health condition.

"As soon as they came back to this school they're sick,"
she said of her children, one she took to the doctor earlier in the day. "When
he's not at this school, does he have any of these symptoms? No."

In an interview during the meeting, Dukes said the school
district is slow in addressing the issues at the facility.

"My prayer is it does not affect our children based on
what has happened. That's why I'm afraid," the 25-year bus driver for the
district and lifelong Montevallo resident said. "I just hope the damage isn't
done."

Wearing a doctor's mask over his mouth at the meeting,
Karry Honeycutt said he is ill himself while he worries about health issues in
the building.

"I do have severe allergies and asthma, and if they do
have something in here," he doesn't want it, the parent with a daughter each in
first and fourth grade said.

Some in the audience supported the work of the school
district at Montevallo Elementary.

"If I thought there was a problem I would not put my kids
in harm's way," said Carla Layton, program specialist for special education
with the school district. "My fifth-grader would not be here."

Montevallo Mayor Hollie Cost said she has a child at the
school. "I have not kept him out one day because I'm worried about mold," she
said. "I care about the school district. I trust the school district."

Fuller said he wants parents to understand the building
is safe and regain trust in the school district. "Quite frankly I didn't
realize there was a breakdown in the line of communication" with the central
office and parents, he said.

He said the school district is working to "clean the
whole building from top to bottom." Additionally "to give you peace of mind,"
the district will do "room-by-room testing of this entire building," he said.

"Montevallo Elementary School will be one of the cleanest
schools in Shelby County. We can guarantee that," he said.

Parents should not expect a new school to replace the
aging facility, Fuller said in response to a question about plans for a new
building. "No, there is not because the growth is not happening," he said.

However, without disclosing specifics, Fuller said
renovations are on the horizon at the school. "The plans are there and they
will be revealed in the coming months," he said.

The district is continuing to allow parents to keep their
children out of the school. "We have no intention at this point of punishing
you and your children for being absent," said Lewis Brooks, the district's
assistant superintendent of administration.

Absences at the school are no higher than other
institutions in Shelby County, Brooks said, noting 195 out at Pelham High
School today and 189 at Thompson High School in Alabaster. "There are a lot of
kids absent across the district," he said.